A resin containing phenolic hydroxyl groups is used in an adhesive, a molding material, paint, a photoresist material, an epoxy resin raw material, a curing agent for an epoxy resin, and the like. Since the heat resistance and moisture resistance of the cured product of the resin containing phenolic hydroxyl groups are excellent, the resin is also widely used in the electrical and electronic field such as a semiconductor sealing material or an insulating material for a printed wiring board, as a curable composition including the resin containing phenolic hydroxyl groups itself as a main agent or as a curing agent of an epoxy resin or the like.
Among these, in the field of a photoresist, a wide variety of resist pattern forming methods subdivided according to the use or the function have been developed one after another. Accordingly, performances required for a resin material for a resist have become more sophisticated and diversified. For example, high developability is required in order to accurately form a fine pattern on a highly-integrated semiconductor with high production efficiency, a cured product is required to have properties of being flexible and hard to be broken in the case of forming a thick film, and dry etching resistance and heat resistance are required in the case of a resist underlayer film. Further, toughness such as substrate followability, as well as the high heat resistance, is required in the case of a resist permanent film.